CHAPTER VIII

SOME TOWNS AND VILLAGES OF SOUTH TYROL--MERAN, BOZEN, KLAUSEN, BRIXEN, SPINGES, STERZING, MATREI

[Sidenote: MERAN]

So many pens have described and praised Meran, the ancient capital of Tyrol, that there must be few adjectives of appreciation left unapplied to it. Many poets have also sung of this beautifully situated little town of some 8000 inhabitants which once played so important a part in Tyrolese history, and nowadays has developed into a fashionable health resort.

It has by turns been called "the Jewel of South Tyrol," "Tyrol's sweet Paradise," and in one of the visitor's books "A Paradise of G.o.d's making and man's improving"! Artists love it, and therefore it goes without saying that Meran is both beautiful and picturesque. From whatever side one approaches the town, whether by the more usual route from the West via Innsbruck, and then by the little branch line of the Brenner railway from Bozen; from the south through Verona; from the north by way of Munich and Innsbruck,--one is at once struck by its wonderfully favoured situation amid vineyards, orchards and rich pasture land, set in a wide valley surrounded by beautiful mountain ranges, and watered by the Pa.s.ser River.

It is, indeed, a charming spot in which to either rest--as so many do--or from which to make excursions so varied in character, that they may suit all tastes.

[Ill.u.s.tration: WINTER NEAR MERAN]

The first view of the town, with its spires, huge hotels, white-walled houses and villas, and the ruins of Castle Tyrol set high on the north-western and vine-clad slope of the Kuchelberg, is one of great beauty. On the lower hillsides are chestnut groves and pine woods; and many of the villas and houses of the town itself appear amid them as though embowered in green.

The railway from Bozen traverses the picturesque Etsch Valley, which is dotted with orchards, and follows the course of the Etsch to where it joins the Pa.s.ser about three-quarters of a mile from Meran.

The architecture of the town, as is the case with most places of any size in South Tyrol, is distinctly Italian in general characteristics.

In fact, one of the things which makes Tyrol, as a whole, of unusual interest to students and artists is the variety of the domestic architecture found within its borders. Although there are many quaint corners and delightful byways in Meran, there is really only one important business thoroughfare, running almost due east and west and of considerable length, with arcaded shops known as "Unter den Lauben"

(in the shade). It is probably because it has this aspect that one of the sunniest streets we have ever been in has been so amply provided with shady arcades; and in summer the latter can be appreciated to the full. In the season the long street is at times crowded with foreigners from England, Germany, Italy, and America, and has a busy and cosmopolitan air somewhat out of character with its general old-world look.

Just off this interesting thoroughfare stands the Burg, or, to give it its fuller and ancient name, the Landesfurstliche Burg, in ancient times the town residence of the Counts of Tyrol. Retired as it is in the courtyard of the Magistrats Gebaude it is often overlooked by the pa.s.sing tourist, although of great antiquarian and historical interest. Dating from the fifteenth century, the building has been admirably and sympathetically restored, and is a treasure-house of fine old furniture and _bric-a-brac_. There are also some interesting frescoes and coats-of-arms of former owners and inhabitants. It is, perhaps, difficult to realize that amongst the latter in the middle of the fifteenth century was a Scottish princess. But it was to the Burg that Sigismund, son of Duke Frederick of the Empty Purse, brought his bride Eleonora, daughter of James I. of Scotland, over the Brenner and via Bozen, to the house and home he had prepared for her reception.

From Bozen onwards, we are told, the young couple's progress was marked by rejoicings and enthusiasm as they pa.s.sed from castle to castle, until at last they came, in due time, to the then capital of Tyrol. Eleonora's ultimate popularity with the Tyrolese was, perhaps, even more owing to her skill in the chase than to her intellectual gifts, although the latter were very remarkable for a woman of that period. The translator of "The Book of Celebrated Women," by Boccaccio, waxes very enthusiastic over her, and he is by no means the only writer of the period who has left on record a tribute to the Archd.u.c.h.ess' high mental and physical qualities. That Eleonora was of a scholarly disposition and gifted with "tongues" is proved by her translation of a French Romance of the period, "Pontus and Sidoni,"

into German. It is now a rare book, although copies are occasionally found, and it would appear to have had a considerable vogue at the time it was published. It was printed at Augsburg. In the preface one gathers that the translation was done by the n.o.ble auth.o.r.ess to "please his Serene Highness and Lord Sigismund, Archduke of Austria, her lawful husband."

In this charming old palace, set back from the hum and bustle of the street, Sigismund and Eleonora dwelt for some years, happy in the pursuit of learning, the enjoyment of sport, and in the affection of the townsfolk.

In the Burg it is possible to obtain a very good conception of what a mediaeval n.o.bleman's house really was like, for not only have many interesting specimens of furniture, presses, chairs and other fittings been preserved, but also household utensils, and other articles of common use.

There are, in the byways and courtyards of the main street, several other most interesting houses dating from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, which will repay the attention of students of architecture. And may we add the ubiquitous "Kodaker"?

One of the most enduring impressions Meran leaves upon the mind is that of being in the true sense "a garden city." No other place of the size in Tyrol possesses so many beautiful and tree-shaded promenades, walks and gardens. But the notice "smoking strictly prohibited" which stares one in the face in the charming Gisela Promenade with its old and feathery poplar trees fringing the bank of the Pa.s.ser, and in other similar resorts, is probably a regulation distasteful to many.

Of "gartens" and cafes there is no lack. On the left bank of the river is the pleasant Maria-Valerie Garten, where--as is the case with other similar places--an excellent band frequently plays. Of the cafes at least the Cafe Gilf should be visited, on account of its beautiful vegetation and fine view of the Pa.s.ser gorge and surrounding mountain slopes which one obtains from the "look out."

[Sidenote: MERAN HERO PLAYS]

To many visitors the Hero Plays, which, for the last fifteen years, have been performed annually, in the spring and generally in the autumn, with scenes from the lives of the famous son of the Pa.s.ser Valley, Andreas Hofer, and his companions for the chief incidents, will prove of great interest. The plays, which include"Tiroler-helden"

and one produced for the first time in August, 1901, ent.i.tled "Frederick of the Empty Purse," are acted entirely by peasants.

Many are acquainted with the fine dramatic gifts of the Bavarian peasantry which have found expression in the plays at Ober-Ammergau; but those of the Tyrolese are less well-known and less widely recognized. Any one, however, who has seen one of the Meran "Hofer"

dramas will probably agree with us that it was well worth seeing, and that the dramatic art displayed was not less praiseworthy than that of the more famous performances at Ober-Ammergau.

The plays are given outdoors in a large meadow on a huge stage, and with natural scenery formed by a large chalet (with a bell turret above the central gable) and other smaller buildings on either side, with the hill slopes in the background, the stage being the street in front of the chalet, and the "wings" the side streets. The field is generally--especially for the autumn performances--boarded, and there are a limited number of covered-in boxes facing the stage for the use of those who prefer to be sheltered from the sun, which on fine days is somewhat trying in its intensity, as, of course, no sunshades or umbrellas are permitted. The natural beauties of the valley behind form an appropriate and altogether charming "back-cloth" for the scenery, which represents a portion of a Tyrol village with real buildings. The most popular of the plays with the inhabitants of Meran and the Tyrolese generally are undoubtedly those dealing with the period of national history when their country was engaged in its desperate struggle to free itself from the French and Bavarian invaders.

The acting is always excellent, and distinguished by that spontaneity which seems so frequently to characterize outdoor representations. The naturalness which also distinguishes the performances is probably largely attributable to the fact that the actors have most of them been not only well acquainted with the incidents they pourtray since childhood, but are also in the main representing scenes and using language of everyday life; and are not engaged in attempting to interpret scenes and incidents in which they have no personal interest, or of which they have only gained a knowledge by close and tiresome study.

[Sidenote: OLD-TIME COSTUMES]

To the artist the stage management, which is remarkably good, and the delightful blending of the ancient costumes in charming tableaux and schemes of colour will make a special appeal.

The plays not only add an undoubted and additional attraction to the quaint and charming town, but also are deserving of the highest praise from an artistic and dramatic point of view.

Naturally Meran is over-full at the times of representation, so the wise traveller books his rooms in advance, unless he wishes (as many have done before now) to "sleep at the hotel of the beautiful star,"

which in plain English means in the open air, and on the ground.

We have just mentioned the costumes which appear in the plays. At Meran the old costumes (though alas! they are being slowly but surely superseded) have been preserved to a larger extent than in almost any other place we know in Tyrol. The women's dress is undeniably picturesque, just as it is markedly German in general character. Hats are seldom worn, the hair is plainly and extremely neatly dressed, brushed back off the brow, and secured in a simple knot behind by means of a silver or silver-headed pin. The bodices are of velvet or cloth, of the "corselet" type seen in Switzerland and many parts of Germany as well as in Tyrol; and they are worn over a white chemisette with puffed sleeves, which end just above the elbow and are generally there confined by "ties" of coloured ribbon.

The men's costume is scarcely less picturesque, consisting as it does of a high-crowned hat of felt or cloth, bound round with numerous bands of thin red or green cord, the first colour denoting a man is married (a useful danger signal for unwary spinsters!), and the second denoting a bachelor, eligible or otherwise. The jacket is usually of brown or blackish brown cloth; cloth knee breeches (we have seen buckskin on some of the "granfers") with wide red or green braces, and sometimes an embroidered waistcoat, completes the costume. One other feature is almost sure to strike the observer, the white ap.r.o.ns which so many of the men wear when engaged in work. On festive occasions silver belts are worn by some of the men in the surrounding valleys, though we fancy these are considerably less common now than they were even ten years ago.

The variations of dress in the different valleys of Tyrol have been ascribed by a well-known writer upon the subject as rising from the circ.u.mstance that peasant costumes are very largely belated fashions of the town; which, obtained perhaps three or even four generations or longer ago, have in time come, by all save students of the subject, to be looked upon erroneously as a mode of dress evolved by the peasant wearers themselves. What in all probability really happened in many cases was, some visitors to the towns when in need of fresh clothes bought town-made and then fashionable garments which were copied by neighbours (as do villagers in England at the present time), and thus perpetuated from generation to generation, and not discarded until some fresh sartorial idea percolated its way slowly and in much the same manner to the often remote regions of these Tyrolese valleys and upper pastures.

On the occasion of the "Hofer" celebrations or "Hero" plays one even nowadays sees a most interesting variety of costumes in Meran, although the differences are not so marked as in former times, and appear rather in small details than in immediately apparent variations.

[Ill.u.s.tration: MERAN]

[Sidenote: IN THE VINEYARDS]

Amongst the many "Cures" of the Continental Spas and invalid resorts Meran possesses a unique one in the "Grape Cure." Nowhere in Tyrol can the interesting harvesting of the grapes be better seen than at Meran.

The vineyards, for one thing, are more picturesque than in many places, by reason of the practice of largely training the vines over trellis work or rustic pergolas. In some vineyards these form perfect covered walks or arcades of delightful green, through which the sun filters to glint upon the purple and green-gold bunches of grapes hanging in profusion on either hand and above one's head. But, as may be imagined, the casual visitor does not have the freedom of the vineyards on the hillsides when once the grapes are ripening off. Then the gates, some of them adorned with rows of formidable-looking spikes and hooks with a great and persistent affinity for clothing, are closely shut against all intruders, and, in addition, that curious individual the Saltner, whose name is probably derived from the Latin word meaning forester, and hence guardian of lands of all kinds, is placed on guard. His costume is such as to bring alarm not only to the birds but even to human beings. Tyrolese children we believe have been brought up to regard the Saltner as a type of "Bogey Man" of a very efficient character. Usually he wears buckskin breeches or leggings, a broad belt in which there shines a whole armoury of weapons of a miscellaneous character comprising old pattern pistols, knives, and sometimes a "horse" pistol of dimensions almost ent.i.tling it to be spoken of as a gun. In his cap, which is of an uncommon shape, are such a collection of feathers, martens' tails, plumes, and odds and ends of ribbon as to cause it to resemble nothing so much as the head-dress of a Sioux Indian.

Notwithstanding this "terrific" personage, it is not very difficult with the expenditure of a few kreutzers to obtain permission to enter a vineyard in process of harvesting. The labour employed is chiefly that of women and girls, who, armed with sharp sickles or large knives with heavy and curved blades, stand beneath the trellises and hold a wooden tray in one hand beneath the bunch to be severed. One skilled sweep of the sickle and the latter falls into the tray with a minimum of damage to the luscious fruit.

Here and there along the paths are wooden tubs into which the trays are emptied from time to time. And these tubs again are borne away by men to the huge vats or tubs bound with iron, which are slung to a framework or trolley on wheels to which oxen are harnessed, and by them brought to the nearest convenient point in the vineyard. Then when the vats are full almost to the brim, two men take up their positions beside them, and proceed to crush and pound the grapes, stems and all, into a dark-red, uninviting-looking mess with long-handled, heavy wooden hammers. In many Italian vineyards it is still the custom to "tread" the juice out, a practice which is far less cleanly and hygienic (though it is said more thorough and economical) than the Meran method. After the juice is all expressed it is set aside to ferment, and the other processes of wine making are afterwards gone through.

The famous grape cure consists apparently of eating as much of the fruit as one possibly can. Many doctors affirm that no particular benefit is derived or can be hoped for unless upwards of two pounds of fruit is consumed daily, the maximum quant.i.ty desirable being nine pounds! Immense as this may seem, we have been a.s.sured that some "patients" have considerably exceeded this amount.

Perhaps the grape cure is so popular because, for one thing, to eat a reasonable quant.i.ty of fully ripe and freshly gathered fruit is by no means a disagreeable task for most people, and because it can be taken anywhere.

In the cafes one sees crowds undergoing the cure; on the numerous and shady seats of the Gisela Promenade one sees folks eating grapes. And practically in every street and alley, and along the mountain paths in the vicinity of Meran one meets people with brown-paper bags, or if taking the cure very seriously with little baskets, all eating grapes as though their future well-being depended upon the quant.i.ty they could consume in a given time. The "old stagers" generally divide their daily quant.i.ty into two or three portions; taking one early in the morning before "Halbmittag," the second about mid-day, and the third at sundown.

To its many other attractions Meran has added for the holiday maker that of a good band, which performs during the season really most excellent music in front of the Kurhaus, or in one or other of the public gardens at Obermais. The Kurhaus, with its sheltered Wandelhalle or promenade, naturally forms the pivot upon which the more social side of the daily life of Meran turns. Here one meets not only the invalid, but the traveller from all parts of the Continent; and in the Kurhaus gardens one finds also those "birds of pa.s.sage,"

who alight for a time on their way further north or south.

[Sidenote: SPORTS AND PASTIMES]

The Sports Platz is one of the best in Tyrol. On it are held tennis tournaments, cycle races (less than formerly), trotting events, and horse races; whilst in the winter months the centre is converted into an excellent skating lake. The races are largely attended by Italians as well as natives, and at the larger meetings there is generally some event of interest and importance from a sportsman's point of view.

A big race day at Meran has many of the social and picturesque elements of the smaller events at Chantilly. The ladies don their best toilettes, and the beautiful surroundings and brilliant sunshine all go to make a picture of great charm and animation.

On the outskirts and in the immediate neighbourhood of Meran are so many ancient castles that the town might well be called the "city of castles." Just outside the Papist Gate is the half-ruined Schloss Zen.o.burg, standing on a precipitous rock; whilst prettily situated at Obermais stands Schloss Rubein with a famous avenue of cypresses.

Along the picturesque Bozen road is Schloss Katzenstein; which, seen across the fields from the hillside, looks like a grim outpost guarding the valley.

Then there are also the Schloss Gojen, with its environment of shady and odorous pine forests, and background of snow-capped mountains; Schloss Vorst, but half an hour's drive from Meran, and finely situated upon a rocky eminence overlooking the valley, and several others of which could be told stories of romantic and historic interest.

And last, but greatest of them all, there is Schloss Tyrol which was destined to give its name to the whole of the country. As it is one of the most famous it is probably also the best known of all castles to the average tourist and traveller in Tyrol. So ancient is it that historians have been able to discover a mention of it at so early a period as the last decade of the fourth century A.D. But, notwithstanding this fact, the records relating to its earlier days are neither full nor reliable. Of the life that went on within it and the fate that possibly overtook it during the period covered by the years (about) A.D. 400 to A.D. 1000 little, indeed, is discoverable.